


Shadow of the Lightbringer

by K_Schweitz



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Angels, Angels are Dicks, Chloe Decker Finds Out, Death, Demons, Detectives, Dysfunctional Family, Fallen Angels, Family, Family Loss, God - Freeform, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Missing Persons, Protective Chloe Decker, Protective Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Sibling Love, Siblings, mute character, parental Lucifer, rich people, sibling relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-13 04:07:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16885338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_Schweitz/pseuds/K_Schweitz
Summary: She watched, she always watched, it was all she could do. However with her big brother in Los Angeles things were much more interesting. Leyleh the rebelious youngest angel determained to do the right thing finds out the dark truth that had been hidden from everyone. Lines are blurred, fates changed, and family reunited.





	1. Watch

# Watch

> "Hope can be bruised and battered. It can be forced underground and even rendered unconscious, but hope cannot be killed."  
>  ― Neal Shusterman, UnSouled

The day was quiet, as it always was, atop the watchtower. Leyleh leaned against the wall, peering over into the shimmering mist. Her hair was partially tied up with straps of braided leather while still allowing some thick strands to tumbled in inky spirals down her back. She pressed herself flush against the cold stone, pulling herself up to peer closer to the mist, the movement dragged the silver chain across the floor. At the sound, Hadraniel looked up, noticing his sister straining to see into the fog.  
Unlike Leyleh, Hadraniel was as tall as a tower and built just as thick and sturdy as the stones that made the wall. He reached into a pouch and pulled out a handful of sparkling dust. With a flick of his wrist, he threw it into the mist, revealing what Leyleh saw.  
She was staring at earth, precisely into the city of Los Angeles, in the American state of California. Hadraniel watched the automobile accident as it occurred, as if in slow motion. He recognized the touch of their brother, Uriel, who could cause such things to happen without his direct involvement. He glanced back at Leyleh who was trembling, fists clenched so tightly her knuckles were turning white.  
"You had best not do anything stupid, little sister," Hadraniel warned gently. She glared at him with dark brown eyes from under thick eyelashes. While her glare might have gained a level of wariness from their other brothers he had become far too accustomed to it. She pointed into the mist, at the injured figure of a Gregori, who was pressed between the cars, softening the blow, protecting the human woman. Hadraniel sighed, knowing that the injury of a Gregori stood in her realm of influence and even Michael could not interfere with any punishment. Her finger tapped on the stone three times, and Hadraniel stepped back.  
After a few minutes, three Gregori arrived, their spotted wings flared. Each knelt before her, rising quickly as she acknowledged them. Her eyes gleamed silver as she looked back into the mist. The three Gregori dived off the wall disappearing into the fog. Leyleh watched leaning against the wall, glaring. Hadraniel stayed cautious, watching his youngest sister who was tense.  
The three Gregori carefully approached their fellow who had protected the human woman and switched guards before the other two carried the weak guard. They arrived slowly with the one limping. His speckled wings were strained, and bruises littered the visible skin, proof that he had guarded the woman who had walked away with a scratch and slight concussion. Her wide brown eyes were scrunched with concern as he approached  
"Mi'lady," he knelt down in front of her. "It was close, I fear if I had not intervened, she would not have survived."  
Leyleh sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. For all her brother's foresight and pattern seeing, he never understood that humans could rarely be taken into account. The driver could have collided with the woman's car much faster and much harder than he expected. She waved the Gregori away so he could get his wounds treated, before looking back out into the mist, eyes shimmering silver once more.  
__________________ Line______________  
Hadraniel sighed heavily as he watched Leyleh. She was pacing on the walkway atop the wall, with the scraping sound of her chain dragging behind her.  
"Little-" He began but stopped when she threw him a fiery glare. He hovered at the door to the watchtower, trying to tame his fear as she would teeter towards the edge of the wall. If she decided to go over, the chain would stop her, but it would be the reaction of their elder brother which he feared.  
"For _goodness_ sake, please come away from there." He begged, inching towards her, his spear abandoned at the door. She snapped towards him, her wings bursting forth. They were large and black with white, pale blue, and light yellow specks creating an image of the galaxy their father had built. It was a warning, she would jump. Hadraniel's lips thinned as he raised his hands in surrender, taking a step back. She turned on her heel and continued pacing, keeping her eyes on the mist, eyes shining silver. Her eyes were trained on Uriel.  
When she saw Uriel spread his wings and take to the air, she, at last, stopped pacing and crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes darkened to brown, and she stared past the fog to the wild gardens outside the Silver City. Uriel soared out of the mist, silver wings spread wide. He swept up the outside of the wall before stopping short, grabbing Leyleh by the jaw, and lifting her off her feet. She didn't even struggle as he flew off the wall, and slammed her on the cold stone ground.  
"He will be going back to that pit he belongs in, and mother will be gone, forever," He hissed.  
For all his seeing, for his patterns and future gazing, whatever he had been expecting it was not for her dark brown eyes to snap open and her hand to collide with his cheek in a thunderous clap. He head snapped to the side, taken by surprise, before looking at her furious.  
 _'This plan you have will not go as you think.'_ her voice echoed in his mind. _'Everything that will happen is your fault alone.'_  
The two siblings glared at each other, Leyleh's head tilted up to look at her brother in the eye.  
"Mi'lady?" the voice of one of her Gregori interrupted. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted two of her Gregori, hands gripping the hilt of their swords. Atop the wall Hadraniel took up his sword, pointing it at everyone.  
"You know the law, there will be no violence," Hadrandiel ordered. Uriel and Leyleh did not move, instead glared at each other, until the brother finally relented and stepped back. She flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder while she turned on her heel and with a swish of her dress went to her Gregori who quickly escorted her from the perceived danger.  
__________________Line________________  
Leyleh walked along the rooftops of the Silver City with ease, her hands clasped behind her back as she strolled. A few of the oldest tenants called her name, waving to her as she passed by, politely she would smile and wave back. It was a quiet day, the sleepy feeling hung in the air.  
"I have a job to do, get out of my, feather brains." A sharp voice snapped. Leyleh paused and listened carefully.  
"What do you think you're doing? _Let go_!" the voice shouted.  
Leyleh unfurled her winds, wrapping them around her thin frame as she crept forward before laying down on the roof she was on and peered over the edge. The first thing she noticed was just how many of her siblings were in the small alleyway, wings unfurled and feathers puffed in aggravation. Metatron, Michael, Azrael, Arariel, Jehoel, Raziel, Netzach, Jegudiel, Camael, and Uriel, they were all there. Leyleh's head cocked to the side as she tried to decern the situation. Her brothers were arguing with Azrael, the twins Jegudiel and Camael, held Azrael's arms, keeping her grounded. Metatron, the second born, was as intimidating as he always looked, towering over Azrael as he removed her blade, handing it to Uriel. It was Michael who made her curious. He stood tall, golden wings relaxed as his back faced the ongoings. He was allowing violence, in the Silver City.  
"Finish it," Metatron ordered, his voice low and flat. With a great push, Uriel took off towards the wall to head to earth. She watched in horror as her brothers drug Azrael away, leaving like nothing untoward had happened. She dug her nails into the roof pulling dust and stone under her nails as she formed fists, watching her Michael's head disappear. Once everything was cleared, and it was like nothing happened Leyleh stood, clapped three times and ran. Three Gregori caught up to her, flying to her side. With a silent order, one went to protect from the shadows her brother, the other two went to the mortal woman who became a target of Uriel. When they dove off to complete her orders she had just arrived at the Temple. She raced up the steps to the holy of holies only to be stopped by the giant sword of her brother.  
"Father doesn't wish to see you," Michael spoke plainly. Leyleh crossed her arms and raised her brow, taking another step closer.  
"Don't make me repeat myself, child." He growled.  
 _'Father!'_ he broke down in tears, and lost himself in the grief and guilt. It wasn't fair, her brothers rarely were. She glanced at the chain that held her and wept. She couldn't comfort her big brother, as much as she wished she could.  
____________Line____________  
Raphael was enjoying his quiet day under the sycamore tree with a scroll in his lap. However, that was before his youngest sibling entered in a flurry of black. He blinked at her, trying to figure out why she came to him. She gripped his arm and pulled on it.  
"Hey what-" He started before she pulled him completely upright, and his scroll fell to the ground. With a shake of his head and a huff, he bent down to pick it up only to have her pull his arm harder, yanking him away. She didn't relent, and soon he was stumbling after her, trying, and failing, to gain his footing again. It wasn't until they were in the streets that he was finally able to pull himself to a stop, halting Leyleh mid-step.  
"What's up with you today? You can't just go pulling people like that, it's not polite," He scolded. She had the grace to momentarily look guilty before tugging on his arm with a pleading look.  
"Do you need me for something?" She nodded feverishly, tugging on his arm again. Soon he willingly allowed her to drag him through the streets a light chuckle in his throat as he waved to the tenants of the silver city who laughed at the two as they passed. Before he knew it, he was getting dragged up the steps to the watchtower, doing his best not to trip and fall on his face. When they reached the door, she relinquished her hold and dashed forward. Momentarily his heart paused, fearing that Hadraniel was injured, or worse. However, when he stepped into the tower, Hadraniel was propped against the wall looking bored and annoyed.  
Leyleh was half hanging out the tower, pointing at the mist with urgency. Raphael grabbed the offered powder and threw it into the fog to see what the urgency was. Once he peered over Leyleh's head he saw it, a mortal woman who was injured laying in a hospital bed, dying.  
"I can do nothing without an order," he sighed. She looked at him, then back to the mist with silver eyes, and then back to him again.  
"Those are the rules little one, you know that. It must be though father's orders that I may heal." He patted her head before turning and leaving.  
Leyleh clenched her eyes shut as she turned to face the fog again. Raphael sighed, ran a tired hand through his red hair and sent a sympathetic look to Hadraniel, who looked at their sister with a discouraged expression.  
____________Line_____________  
Leyleh's knuckles were white as she watched the plan unfold. _He_ was on the hospital bed, strapped up to an EKG. The Human doctor (the mental kind, not the medical kind, a significant difference), and the demon stood next to him, going over their plan once more. The demon, having second thoughts, took a step back, only to have him grab the defibrillator from her hands and pressed it to his own chest. In an instant, his soul vanished from the mortal realm.  
As calmly as possible she sifted her gaze from the mortal realm to the infernal realm, if her brothers knew she was gazing into hell, well the consequences would not be pleasant. He had entered safely though and quickly found the cell that held the man who hurt the woman. In seconds he had obtained the way to save the woman and was leaving, or preparing to. She heard it as soon as he froze mid-step. It was a soft tune that he had tried to teach all the younger siblings, herself included. However, she could see what it was, it was a cell calling out to him. She tensed as he moved to a new door, hand on the handle. And then it happened, he entered. Her heart dropped into her stomach. With a glance at Hadraniel, who at the moment was looking over the city, She snatched his spear from the wall and slammed it down on her chains. They shattered like glass. Before Hadraniel even noticed she was diving out of the tower, wings out and pressed tightly against her body as she plunged into the infernal realm. As the speed picked up, she unfurled her wings, slowing her down. She rocked unsteadily as her wing muscles strained against the force that tried to force her to fall. She slowed enough to land on the brimestone floor and roll to a stop. With a hiss, she rushed into his cell where he had just planted Azrael's blade deep into Uriel's gut. She recognized the room as his apartment, and it was cold, detached from any real personality, in fact, it barely looked lived in except the small grand piano that sat in the middle of the room and the light piece made of branches.  
Both men turned to look at her, her eyes wide and curly black hair wild and windswept. She glanced at Uriel before looking at Him. He was tall and lean, hair slicked and beard grown to only a stubble. His clothes, an expensive suit, and pressed shirt were wrinkled only from the normal movements of the day.  
She reached out and grabbed his arm. His head tipped to the side as he looked at her. Then slowly he reached out and caressed her cheek with his free hand.  
“First Uriel now you,” he whispered. She shook her head and pulled on his arm, trying to get him to move towards the exit. Then suddenly the blade appeared in his hand once more. With a cry, he ripped his arm from her grasp and plunged it into Uriel’s chest. When he stumbled back from Uriel, she grabbed his hand and pressed it to her heart. Her eyes were wide and pleading as she tried to get him to focus on her, but the blade returned to his hand, and he was forced forward into Uriel once more. The elevator dinged open and in walked a tall, thin, beautiful woman.  
“Lucifer,” she shouted at Sammy, who momentarily froze.  
“Mum?” he asked out of breath as he turned. “What are you doing here?”  
“I’m your rescue party of one,” Charlotte remarked glancing at Leyleh. She started gently trying to talk him down as he glanced between the three people in his hell. Then he looked to Leyleh again, pain and longing in his eyes. She opened her wings and gently plucked a feather. She grabbed his hand and pressed it into his hand before gently trying to pull him towards the elevator.  
“You were only trying to save us, this isn’t your fault. It’s mine. I’m to blame for all this. Ever since- ever since I returned I’ve been manipulating you. Stoking your anger against your father in hopes of using you against him. But I’ve just made things worse. I pushed you and that human closer, knowing it would crush you when you learned the truth. And now look at us, stuck in this prison while Chloe's dying” Charlette said as she started to stroke Uriel’s face lovingly. Lucifer’s head jerked back.  
“Chloe. I killed Uriel because I had to, to save you, to save the detective, and I need to save her now.” He said eyes widening with worry, his hand tightened around Leyleh's. “Mum, mum? We need to leave,” he said as he turned and started to the door. Hand still tightly clenched in Leyleh's, who had wrapped her other arm around his arm, hugging it.  
They were about to cross the threshold when they realized Charlotte was not with them, but still standing with Uriel.  
“Mum.” He barked, trying to get Charlotte’s attention.  
“Why would we leave? Uriel is right here. We can stay, be a happy family.” she cooed. Suddenly from the shadows a young girl appeared, she was a tiny thing, the black wings behind her barely even flyable. Large eyelashes batted as big brown eyes stared at Charlotte.  
“Mummy?” the child asked.  
Charlotte looked to the child with longing and sorrow in her eyes. She reached out to the child only to have the Leyleh dash forward and stand in the way. She grabbed her hand and pulled it towards Lucifer. Lucifer went up to Charlette calling out to her, before grabbing her by the arms. “You pulled me out of my guilt, there’s no time to get stuck in yours.”  
“Please don’t abandon me, not again,” Uriel begged.  
“My sweet boy, my sweet boy,” Charlotte repeated over and over as they got into the elevator. When Charlotte’s feet hit the ground before she could try to get back to Uriel, a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders. “Leyleh?” Charlotte whispered.  
Leyleh pulled back before throwing herself at Lucifer, arms flinging around his waist and head burying in his chest. Automatically his arms went around her, cradling her head to him. Her one hand moved and took his as she pulled back. She pressed her hand above her heart before moving it to press above his heart. Then he and Charlette disappeared from the infernal realm

The lights of her brothers’ grace rocketed towards her location, and though in hell, fear filled her immediately. For years Leyleh, Angel of the Night, Lady of the Grigori, had been held under house arrest in the Silver City. When she was small, and her brothers had only just been kicked out, she was permitted leave and often moved between heaven and hell to be with her family, unwilling to choose one over another. However when her mother was kicked out, and tensions rose, Leyleh was no longer allowed out. After the third time of sneaking out, her confinement was made permanent with a magical chain that would lock her down if she tried to leave the walls of the city, making it so she could not even go to the fields she used to play in. Hadraniel kept an eye on her while she conducted her watch along the border of the wall, the farthest she was ever allowed to travel. She did not take to the heavens or play in the Stardust as she had once done during happier days when the family was whole. The last time she had escaped her brothers made sure she would never try something so stupid again, and every day was a reminder of their cruelty. She was as much a prisoner in Heaven, as her favorite brother Samael, had been in Hell. Her brothers, her prison guards, were coming to take her back.  
It was almost cruel that Michael was the first to arrive, looking so much like Samael. His hand fisted into her long hair and yanked hard. She bit hard on the inside of her cheek and squeezed her eyes shut as the others landed. Instinctively her wings flexed and, though she tried to control them, lashed out. Jehoel’s hands shot forward, fire licking at his fingertips as he gripped the base of her wings. Leliel cried out in pain, between the pulling hair and the burning at the most sensitive part of her body. Her eyes flashed silver as she screamed in pain and in the shadows of hell she could see demons moving. They were shocked, and surprisingly shy, considering the circumstances. She caught the eye of one, who had curling goat horns and golden eyes. ‘Help!’ she mouthed. But it was too late Michael lifted her up by the hair. Her wings flapped, trying to pull away, as her hands tried to push at Michael, begging to get away.  
Then they took to the sky, dragging her along. Her eyes remained on the brimstone, reaching out as she saw one of her beloved brothers, with clipped wings trying to run after them. It was one of the twin guards of Eden, She couldn't scream to him, and she tried so hard to, but it was far too late.  
___________Line____________  
Lucifer was just in time as he relayed the formula. His chest hurt, his head was dizzy, but the detective was safe. He slumped into the visitor's chair, letting the little urchin climb into his lap. He ignored her as she played with his hands and tiredly chatted to him.  
"Ohh, pretty," Trixi whispered, catching his attention. His hand was open palm up as Trixi gently petted a small black downy feather that sparkled with flecks of white. His eyes bulged slightly as he straightened and tightened his hold on her.  
"Where did you find that?" He asked. She turned and looked at him with confusion.  
"You had it in your hand. It's pretty where did you get it?" She asked resuming her petting of the feather. He couldn't bring himself to answer  
_________Line____________  
Leyleh closed her eyes against the pain, everything hurt. It had been days since she was dragged back to the Silver City, and she was harshly punished. Her chains reinforced.  
"Leyleh, are you quite alright?" A voice caused the young angel to pause. Nearby sat Abraham, one of her family's favored tenants. She shuffled over to him and sat next to him.  
' _Have you seen my father?_ ' She wrote on the ground in Hebrew. He watched her gently, eyes trained on the light bruising around her neck and on her cheek.  
"No, I haven't seen him in quite a while. Perhaps you're best checking the throne room?" He offered.  
Leyleh sighed, running her foot across the dirt erasing her writing. She bowed lightly to him and started towards the temple.  
"Leyleh, are you alright?" He asked again. She paused, back still to him, and slowly shook her head. Before he could ask another question, she was off heading towards the temple. Michael was guarding the Holy of Holies as usual, but the presence of one of their brothers had him distracted enough for her to slip past him. The clean walls of the throne room were darker than she remembered, and in whole the place was quieter than it had ever been. Her eye went up to the throne her father should have been at and found it empty. Her wings opened up as she moved up the staircase to the throne, heart rising up to her throat as her eyes locked on a dark gaping hole in the middle of the throne, that broke through the marble backing. When she got to it, she immediately dropped to her knees, fingers shaking as she reached out to touch it. Something happened to her father, something terrible.  
"You shouldn't be here." A familiar sharp voice cut through the stillness of the Holies.


	2. Burn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter  
> Her eye went up to the throne her father should have been at and found it empty. Her wings opened up as she moved up the staircase to the throne, heart rising up to her throat as her eyes locked on a dark gaping hole in the middle of the throne, that broke through the marble backing. When she got to it, she immediately dropped to her knees, fingers shaking as she reached out to touch it. Something happened to her father, something terrible.  
> "You shouldn't be here." A familiar sharp voice cut through the stillness of the Holies.

# Burn

> “The first thing a watcher learns is to separate truth from illusion. Because in the world of magicks, it’s the hardest thing to do.”  
>  \- Joss Whedon

Her breath caught and heart started pounding faster. She knew the sound of her brother's voice without even having to turn around. Metatron, the second eldest, the scribe of their father, the one who wrote the laws and rules, _created_ the very words of God. Her fists clenched over the seat of the throne, refusing to turn and acknowledge him.  
Shortly after she had been silenced, her father gave her one vague responsibility.

__**Flashback**  
_Father wanted to speak with her. He requested her by name, such a thing had never happened to her. As the youngest, born only to help her parent's failing union, she was often forgotten. Gabriel led her, holding her hand in his large one. She kept her eyes downcast, keeping her focus on the movement of her feet. As they neared the doors to the throne room, her hands grew sweaty and cold, as they started trembling. Gabriel squeezed her hand, stopping, and knelt in front of her. Slowly he cupped her face and peered up at her, trying to get her to look at him, though she refused._  
_"It's our father, Le, nothing bad will happen to you, I promise."_  
_Ever so slowly she met his eyes, and he noticed how afraid she was._  
_"I'll be right out here with, Michael." He promised her before Michael opened the door and patted her head. She swallowed thickly and entered the blindingly bright room._  
_"Come, child, I wish to speak to you in private." His voice was warm, but harsh like lightning. She shuffled the rest of the way up until she felt two strong hands lift her off her feet and she found herself seated on his lap._  
_"I wanted to give you a job" He whispered in her ear "One day when it is the time, you must open my throne and hurl what you find outside of the gates. Then, you run, you run as fast as you can, and you get to Samael, don't stop until you're with him."_  
_Leyleh's eyes widened, and despite herself, she whipped her head up to look at her father and his bright eyes. He looked concerned._  
_With a nod of her head, she sealed the promise._  
_The next day, she tried and failed to run away._  
**_End Flashback_**

"Well, it's too late now" Metatron's cold, detached voice sounded slightly disappointed. Her fingers touched the gaping hole in the throne with trembling fingers.  
"Yes.. well, father's taken a vacation of the permanent sort."  
Leyleh's fists clenched tightly. "Come now, you haven't even realized how long he's been gone. It's been... oh a few millennia."  
Her trembling increased as her hand moved to grip the throne. She turned to look at her brother for the first time with a searing glare of pure unadulterated rage and defiance. In one quick movement, she lifted the seat of the throne with one hand and grasped the pure energy within.  
_Grace_.  
She was holding grace. She stood slowly, gripping the grace tighter as Metatron's eyes widened. Taking a deep breath, she unfurled her wings spreading them wide and diving to the door.  
Metatron sensed her intentions and shot up, grabbing her chain and started to tug her to the ground. However, driven by pure determination, she was able to rip herself out of his grasp and broke out of the throne room, sweeping past Michael. Before she knew it, her brothers were chasing after her as she made her way to the gates of the Silver City. The gates swung open with a jerk and with all her might, Leyleh hurled the grace out into the planes, where it could land on hell or earth. She felt triumphant, but that feeling did not last as a pair of hands yanked her from the air, slamming her down on the ground. She immediately kicked out, prideful of the pained shout that followed as her foot kicked in one of her brothers' knees. At that moment she jumped to her feet, hands fisting and up, ready. 6 of her brothers neared her, as Raziel rolled on the ground clutching at his leg.  
"Fucking bitch," he cursed in pain, "I'll cut your fucking hands off this time."  
Netzach rolled his eyes at his older brother's weakness.  
"You know we can't let you go off telling all of the city," Metatron spoke up.  
'Will you kill me?' she signed to Camael, who despite his courage, stayed near the back of the group.  
"We will do what we must to maintain peace in the Silver City," Michael spoke for Camael. She sealed herself, letting one leg drift back as she prepared herself.  
Netzach was the first to strike, followed shortly by the twins Arariel and Johel. She managed to block the first few blows with her forearms, landing hits with her fists and elbows. However, she wasn't able to keep them all off. The first hit to her ribs sucked the breath right out of her lungs. Her arm snapped out, slapping over Johel's ear, stunning him and sending him to the ground at the same time. That had been the last blow she managed as Michael came up behind her, his hand closing around her throat. Her wings flapped uselessly against Michael, trying to get him off, but his grip only tightened. She scratched at his hand, trying to pull him away enough to breathe, but only got punches and kicks to her gut and face. Dots danced in her vision, and her head began to feel light. She didn't even notice as hands gripped her wing. There was a loud pop, followed immediately with her pained shout. Dislocated. Tears streamed down Leyleh's face as she numbly felt hands grab her wings and with angelic strength snapped her wing in several places.  
Michael hauled her to the edge, just beyond the gate, by her neck, dangling her over as she fruitlessly kicked out.  
"By order of our father, you are banned from the gates of the city. Never again may you step foot on the silver streets, nor on the green fields, nor take to the air in Heaven." Metatron intoned, creating the words of Yahweh and the law of Heaven.  
Then Michael released her, and all she felt was air rushing past her at a burning rate. Skin boiling and peeling as she spun uncontrollably, flashing between the mortal realm and infernal realm. Her wings strained trying to gain some sort of control.  
________Line_________  


The moon shone brightly over the desert as a group of five young men, Tony, John, Will, Peter, and Chris, made their way across the desert sand of Death Valley.  
Tony, who was leading the group, practically skipped ahead, across the cooling desert. His arms swung freely at his sides as he whistled a songless tune. Chris, on the other hand, trailed far behind his friends, feet shuffling, kicking stones as he walked, cigarette dangling between his fingers.  
“I’m so tired, let's stop” Chris groaned. His friends laughed at his tone, the sound echoing and getting lost in the desert.  
“Come on, this is fun” Tony cheered as he turned to face his friends, walking backward. They rolled their eyes and shook their heads.  
“Yeah, yeah, you treehugger, can we stop? Here’s as good a place as a mile from here.” Chris snapped gaining more chuckles.  
“As funny as this is, I agree with Chris, let's stop and call it here.” Peter laughed and stopped to stand next to Chris. Chris sighed in relief and dropped his bag next to Peter, taking time to stretch overdramatically. By silent vote, everyone but Tony dropped their bags on the sandy ground. Reluctantly Tony stopped and went over to his friends.  
“So… now what?” John asked, looking to Tony.  
“Now,” he sighed and threw his head back, “we look at the stars.”  
Chris looked around at the brightly lit sky and spotted something different. It flickered red, close, and large, before disappearing. Chris pulled out his phone and started recording. Then it appeared again, closer still.  
“DUDE!” Chris shouted, getting his friends’ attention as the shooting star went thundering overhead. Seconds later a reverberating crack split the quiet night. Chris grinned, grabbed his bag, and went running in the direction of the meteorite.  
“What do you think it was? Space rock or space junk?” Will asked as the others ran after their friend.  
“I’m betting on rock,” John answered. When they caught up to Chris, after running for half a mile, and he was standing frozen at the edge of a crater. Peter went up next to Chris, smile fading as he looked into the crater. There was no rock or even a piece of space debris, instead there laid a pile of black feathers, all covered in a thin layer of dust. The boys stood and waited on bated breath before the feathers moved, shifting as an arm reached out from under the feathers, long thin fingers clawing at the dirt. Another arm followed until the feathers had moved to reveal the top half of a young woman.  
“Oh, God.” Peter choked when the feathers moved enough to be seen as two distinct wings, wings attached at the woman’s shoulder blades. The wings were bent at all the wrong angles, and the tip of bone stuck out between the feathers creating an arch that was not natural by any means. As Peter tried to look closer, he could see a dark wet substance running, from where the bone broke the skin, down the feathers. She reached the pique of the crater and heaved herself up. She laid on the desert floor, shaking with silent sobs before pushing herself up to her knees. She tilted her head back, curly black hair cascading down her back, and lifted her face to the starry sky. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she shook.  
Gooseflesh ran up the boys' arms as they shivered, staring at the mute fallen angel. Tears glistened in the moonlight as she continued soundlessly screaming and crying. Then as the minutes passed she finally pushed herself to her feet, staggering and swaying as she did so. Then she shook her shoulders, and the wings retracted and disappeared against the smoothness of her back. Horror rose as they were able to see her wholly. Her gray dress was in tatters, ripped to near shreds and singed. Her lightly tanned skin was covered in dirt and ash, but under it, burns and boils were visible on her upper arms and shoulders, skin peeled back. Cuts and bruises littered her body, and blood stained her dress. One injury was distinctly apparent, a bruise wrapping around her neck in the clearly distinct shape of a hand as if someone had choked her as hard as they could.  
Then Peter noticed in horror, silver bands around her ankles with the broken chains.  
“Dude, turn it off, turn it off.” Peter pushed at Chris’ phone, and they fumbled to turn the recording off. Once they did and looked back up, she was already stumbling away walking south.  


________Line________  
All she felt was pain, excruciating pain, as soon as she came to. The pain was enough to take her breath away, stealing it from her lungs. Her wings laid heavily on her as she laid on her side, leaving her face first in the dirt and sand. She had fought every instinct, every natural urge to cover her body with her broken wings to protect her from the fall, to keep from burning and peeling, instead, she spread them, muscles straining, feathers pulling. Then she crashed. Letting the feeling of isolation wash over her, she shifted, so she was on her stomach, soundlessly crying out in pain. Everything hurt, sharp stabbing, throbbing, and oh father the burning. She reached forward, arm sliding out from under her wing and gripped the earth tightly. Moving her legs in sync with her arm she pulled herself forward. She repeated the motion again with the other arm and leg until she was half out from under her wings. The cold air hit her like a brick wall and went hissing into her lungs as she gasped. The ground was tan, or gold was it, and it slipped through her fingers with each grasp. She had made it, she wasn’t in hell with the burning brimstone, this was most definitely her father’s creation, earth. She crawled further on, wings dragging uselessly behind her, crying out when the pain was too much for her to stand. The sight of the night was her only comfort as she pulled herself out of the hole created by her impact. As she reached the lip of the hole, she used all her strength and will to pull herself up and over. Then she laid there and cried. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go, this hadn’t been the plan. She knew she would get caught, but for this to be the actual results she never would have imagined. And for Michael to-. She choked a sob as she pushed herself up to her knees and looked up to the night sky.  
She screamed soundlessly up to the Silver City. After a deep breath, she repeated, again and again, till her throat was sore from the strain. Samael, she had to find her brother. She pushed to her feet, standing and swaying as everything spun. She closed her eyes, and let the darkness wash over her. Find him she commanded and in a second behind her shut eyes, a bright light shone in the far distant south.  
 _'Sammy, I'll be there soon'_ she thought, praying that he'd hear her. With feet shuffling she moved forward into the night.  
________Line_________  
The night was power, pure energy, mystery. Humans were themselves at night, away from the preface of light. It was something only her brother understood and appreciated. He always shone a light on their true nature, but she, she saw them in their natural habitat. Daylight, however, was much different. People noticed her, too much so. As she followed the dim path of light and warmth that led to her brother, she had several males proposition her, leer at her. She ignored them all.  
 _ **"They're just bullies, ignore them. They don't understand what it's like to see it all."** he told her running his fingers through her hair, holding her in his arms._  
She nodded. They didn't understand, they never did, they never could. She stopped and leaned against a building. It hurt. It hurt to walk. It hurt to breathe. Everything hurt.  
 _ **"It's okay, just breathe. Raphi will make you all better. We're okay."**_  
She remembered things, things that happened when she was still a fledgling when the family was whole, and things hadn’t gone to the dogs between her parents. Her sister once told her that when a human dies, they see their lives pass them by, but if it was a slow death, it comes to them in pieces, snippets of things that could keep them going. Perhaps, it was the same for angels.  
Heaving a sigh, she pushed off the wall and continued her path. After hours of walking and avoiding humans, she faced the doors to a police department. Her head tipped to the side, brows furrowed, as she stared at the door. Slowly she pushed the door open. For a police department, she would have thought that there would be more people, in fact, this was the first time since she entered the city that there were no people. Her bare feet slid easily against the cold marble tiling, with a wet splattering sound. Her feet were torn raw and bloodied.  
 _ **“Come on, you can do it, you’ve almost got it.”**_  
Her head fell sideways as her world spun. She staggered, grabbing the wall for support as she stumbled. She tried to focus her eyes as her hair fell in front of her face. She made it to an elevator which was already there waiting for her when she hit the button and then stumbled in. She hit a random floor and as the doors slid shut so did her eyes.  
 _'Please father, give me the strength to get to him. Wherever you are, please, grant me the strength.'_ She prayed as her hand gripped the cold metal handle in the elevator. A testament to her father’s mercy the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Warmth flooded her, nearly taking her breath away. She stumbled forward, legs shaking as she forced herself to move on. Someone started talking as she grabbed a railing near her. To her surprise, she was in the walkway above a larger room. She glanced down at the gathering of people below and quickly scanned the crowd. Near the back, leaning against a clear wall, standing close to a female human, a familiar face stood out. His face was harder than she remembered, but the way his eyebrows were raised and the faint twitch of his lips was an all too familiar sign of mocking amusement.  
She moved to the stairs, taking them slowly, descending to the floor where everyone was. People noticed her, eyes widening when they saw her, but her. His dark eyes met her's. There was a faint flicker of recognition in his eyes, but they narrowed as he looked at her. People were talking, but her focus was solely on him. Then slowly they widened as he started moving forward. Her sight began to blacken at the edges as she watched him rush past a few people.  
He called her name, and from him, it sounded safe. _She was safe_. She reached out to him before the darkness took her fully, feeling only the faint feeling of free falling before losing consciousness

_______Line________  
Everyone was bubbling with excitement and nervous energy. Lucifer, however, was uninterested. He leaned casually against the wall of one of the cubicles with his shoulder while the detective stood just in front of him. Lucifer shifted uncomfortably, glancing around. Something had changed in the air, yet only he noticed. He shook it off quickly, passing it off as Amenadiel trying to get ahold of his powers.  
“So, what exactly is the point of this gathering, there’s no music and certainly no alcohol,” Lucifer asked softly, leaning forward to whisper in the detective's ear. She rolled her eyes but leaned back towards him.  
“We’re greeting our new Lieutenant, everyone wants to make a good impression.” She told him gently.  
“And a funeral home is meant to be welcoming? I would think any good leader would like to be greeted by the sight of hard workers.” Lucifer flippantly replied. The detective turned slightly to look at him, and he gave her a smug smile. “Well, when I was ruling hell nothing was better than the sight of my demons actually doing the work they were made to do, I got quite peeved with slackers.”  
She rolled her eyes again, sighing, _'again with the hell'_ she thought.  
“He’s going to give a small speech, most likely to tell us how he will be running things and to inspire teamwork and a smooth transition.” She told him just as the doors opened and a man walked along the walkway above the stairs. Everyone grew silent as he slowly descended, motorcycle helmet swinging lightly in one hand.  
“I’m Lieutenant Marcus Pierce.” He introduced himself. Nearby Ella Lopez, nearly shook with excitement. He glanced around at everyone before nodding once. Soft wet footsteps and the sound of something chiming caught a few people's attention, but it was when a young woman, a teenager, moved down the steps behind the lieutenant that everyone's focus shifted. She wore a tattered gray dress in a style he would have been all too familiar with if it wasn't for the state of it. Long curly black hair fell over her shoulder and hung down as she looked specifically at him. He barely noticed as people questioned her name or as others shouted asking if she was alright. His feet started moving without prompt. Her one eye was swollen shut in shades of black and blue, her lip split. Cuts and abrasions covered the visible skin, and he could see the burns, familiar burns, fall burns. Her skin had boils over it, and in many places, it was peeled off completely. But his focus moved quickly to the broken shackles around her ankles. His eyes darted back to her face in horror  
“Leyleh.” He called out. He pushed past the detective, completely ignoring her surprised shout. The teen reached out to him as her eyes rolled back and fluttered shut.  
Lucifer's arms caught her, softening her decent. His hands hovered above her face before moving them to her back to sense the state of her wings. When he did he almost vomited. He held her gently, trying to find one spot of unharmed flesh, but found none. He inspected her face and the burns, checked her breathing and pulse, trying to go over the things Raphael had once taught him long ago.  
“Leyleh. Leyleh,” he whispered over and over, hand cupping her face. When a hand touched his shoulder, he had to use all his willpower to not jump. When he looked away from Leyleh, the detective was there kneeling right next to him.  
“She needs a hospital.” the detective told him. He nodded, but already in his head, he knew he couldn’t take her there.  
“I’ll take her.” He gently scooped her up in his arms, awed by the sheer growth since the last time he had seen her. Taking extra care standing, he strolled away towards the parking garage, leaving confused and curious co-workers (the detective included) behind.  
When he got to his Corvette, he gently placed her in the passenger's side, making sure the seatbelt was secured around her before rushing to the driver's side and hopping in. 

Reckless was not even the proper word to call his driving as he wove between cars darting into opposing traffic as he sped to Lux. After taking a sharp turn, he glanced over at his too pale sister. He reached into his pocket and his fingers. His fingers were punching in the phone number before he could stop himself.  
"Linda, I need your help." He started.  
"Lucifer-" She started to warn, especially after what had happened that morning.  
" _Please_ , I- I don't know who else to call." His eyes watered.  
"Okay, I'll be right over." She hung up just as he pulled up to Lux. He stopped, threw the car into park, and threw the keys to the valet boy before opening the passenger door. The valet stared uncertainly as Lucifer gently picked her up. As a credit to his staff, not one of them questioned him as he strode quickly through the club, heading straight to the elevator. As the elevator moved slowly up, Lucifer found himself staring at the bruise around Leyleh's neck. Choaked, beaten, broken. How could his family do such a thing? Granted he hated his family, they were all liars and traitors, but to treat the smallest of them such a way- Unforgivable.  
When he reached the penthouse he carried Leyleh to his own bed, setting her down gently.  
"I'll be right back." He tucked her hair behind her ear before going to the bathroom. He grabbed some soft washcloths, soaking them before grabbing towels and going back to his sister's side. After setting the washcloths and towels down, he pulled his jacket off, throwing it across the room somewhere, and rolled his sleeves up. He took to the slow task of wiping away the dirt and blood from her to reveal the worst of the wounds.  
"Lucifer" Linda's voice called.  
He sighed in relief, planting a kiss on Leyleh's forehead and going to greet the doctor.  
Lucifer was disheveled looking. His hair unkempt, his once white shirt had wet spots all over and it was covered in dirt and blood.  
"Wh-What happened?"Dr. Linda rushed to him, trying to find a source, but stopped short as she noticed the bedroom.


End file.
